Discover North Hobart

For many people, the best part of Hobart is a short walk away from the tourist centre and uphill from Elizabeth Street towards NoHo – the cheeky name locals have come up with for North Hobart.

For almost six city blocks – the distance between Elizabeth and Burnett and Federal Streets – you can lose yourself in a sensory and culinary explosion of bright colours, tasty food and the some of the best shopping in town.

Even the sidewalks have an artistic edge to them, featuring brightly coloured pavers in a range of designs that are sure to lighten your mood.

And it is this almost carnival-inspired atmosphere that separates NoHo from other parts of Hobart and Tasmania.

As you turn into Tony Haigh Walk, it is hard not to feel as if you are entering an imaginary world where the boundaries between make believe and reality blur into one Trompe L’oeil inspired streetscape – which features murals of dogs, roosters and everyday items that play a trick on the eye by fooling you into thinking they are real.

Making art accessible is obviously important to the residents of NoHo, who have added photographs of their beloved city to numerous light posts and in the process helped to turn an otherwise mundane object into something inspiring.

Catching up with friends is also easy due to the large number of public places to mingle in without feeling any pressure to buy, while the so-called cultural billboard is something of a hotspot when it comes to finding out the latest news and events that are on in the area.

For those who like to understand a place by learning about its history, you want to keep an eye out for the historical pavers and old, brightly painted post office.